Sunday night in Norwich usually means an early curfew and the dread of Monday morning, but the Waterfront crowd came out looking for a fight. What they got was a face-off between two powerhouses that felt less like a concert and more like a necessary dose of high-gain therapy.
First up: Troy Redfern (8). Let’s be blunt, the sound desk dropped the ball early. It started a little wobbly, sounding like a rusty spoon dragging across a dry mix. But give the man credit: Redfern and his drummer didn't flinch. Once that signature, corrosive slide guitar tone settled in, it was pure, minimalist sonic violence. He constructs a wall of sound that defies physics, proving you don't need five guitarists if the one you have is operating at 100% savage intensity. Redfern's set was a furious primer, kicking the door in so the headliners could stroll through.
Hollow Souls (8) came on and immediately proved that they are less a band and more a collaborative demolition crew. While the cuts from the new EP give them a blueprint, live they are a sprawling, unpredictable jam band. Forget the polished studio finish. On tracks outside of the rigid EP structure, they opened the throttle and let every musician showcase their considerable firepower. The vocals soared, the organ punched through the grit, and the whole thing was driven by a rhythm section that wouldn't quit. This is blues-rock performed with the reckless abandon of hardcore; it's about the connection, the fire, and allowing the music to chase its own edges. It was a raw, captivating spectacle.
The inevitable happened for the encore: Troy Redfern came back out, armed for a duel. This was the moment everyone was waiting for. The band locked into a colossal groove whilst Kris Barras and Redfern began trading savage guitar solos. It wasn't polite musical conversation; it was a full-contact, six-string grudge match, each player pushing the other toward the point of total collapse. The final moment of the night was pure, unadulterated rock and roll swagger, leaving the Norwich crowd buzzing and probably late for work the next day. This wasn't a gig to be polite about. It was a victory. If you get the chance to see this live do it.
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